


Butterflies like Green

by SilverWhiteRaven



Category: DCU, Maribat - Fandom, Miraculous Ladybug, Teen Titans - All Media Types
Genre: Blind Marinette Dupain-Cheng, F/M, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Lady Fairy AU, MariBat, Maribat Gift Exchange 2020, eventually, i don't know where i'm going with this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-07
Updated: 2021-01-07
Packaged: 2021-03-18 06:41:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28613754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverWhiteRaven/pseuds/SilverWhiteRaven
Summary: Secret Santa gift for Gen-Gen.Mari is legally Blind. It causes the road to be a little bumpy. She can only hope it gets better.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 2
Kudos: 29





	Butterflies like Green

**Author's Note:**

  * For [the_navistar_carol](https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_navistar_carol/gifts).



Marinette developed astigmatism in her eyes long before she could even remember. One of her earliest memories was when she was declared within the standards of legal blindness by an optometrist. She was far too young for eye surgery, so she would be blind for her entire youth, if not longer. 

She learned to read Braille before she could write her own name. She was able to get glasses, yes, but they were heavy and bulky with thick lenses. The glasses were also hard to keep on her nose, and straps always got tangled in her hair, so she wore them only for school, homework, and the occasional hobby requiring hand-eye coordination. Unfortunately, the prescriptions also became inaccurate as her eyes only continued to deteriorate, so she couldn't afford risking breaking or losing the glasses by keeping them on her constantly. 

Marinette never realized just how unclearly she could see, even with glasses, until the world was renewed by magic. A simple call of “Tikki, Transform Me,” was all it took to see like never before. Of course, even the magic of sight couldn't convince her to keep the earrings like seeing a friend in peril. Still, she wished she wasn't the only one who could do the task. And, selfishly, she also wished her vision wasn't only clear when transformed. Unfortunately, Tikki said her magic alone would not be able to permanently heal her eyes. 

Ladybug made the mistake of not telling Chat Noir of her civilian weakness. Efforts to keep her identity as secure as possible worked against her. 

In their fight against Troublemaker, she learned that when her Miraculous was removed, her sight was the first thing to go before her costume did. It only made her more desperate to get the earring back. Reverser had exploited the weakness, too, as when he turned her clumsy, took her ability to be precise, steady, and graceful, he also took what allowed her to be that way - her unhindered sight. Even Sand Boy was hard to play off when his sand had blinded her completely and she joked to her clueless partner that it was just a metaphor for her not being able to “see” solutions to defeating Akumas.

The secret keeping all came crashing down around her when Sand Boy returned for a second time. Chat Noir tried to reassure her that this time, they would be ready for her to lose her sight if it happened again. But she had a feeling her sight wasn't the only thing that was going to be a problem. And she was right.

She hadn't realized how much Chat Blanc had affected her, how much his knowing of who she was would have gotten to her and fed into her paranoia of keeping her civilian identity and weakness a secret. She shouldn't have ignored how much the thought of him made her breathing painful and her limbs shake.

If Sand Boy bringing Chat Blanc to their timeline wasn't worse enough, Hawkmoth had seen it as an opportunity he couldn't pass up, appearing himself with Mayura and a sentimonster in tow. Chat Noir could barely defend her and himself from the onslaught she could barely see coming. The fight was tiring, full of fear and stress, and if it wasn't for their suits, she had no doubt there would have blood covering it all, too.

As the sun rose, blooming into what could have been the most beautiful sunrise Paris had ever seen, Hawkmoth was able to capture Ladybug, with Chat Noir subdued. With Ladybug in one hand, feet dangling over open air, Hawkmoth took her right earring. She could barely give a frantic cry of worry as her transformation began to fade.

Chat Noir, always able to mister one last burst of effort for his Lady, was able to break free from Mayura. He called for Cataclysm, lunging for Hawkmoth. Sand Boy got in his way, the akumatized pillow taking the hit, but Chat kept going. With a frighteningly feral cry and leap, he managed to tackle their greatest enemy to the roof.

But his grip on Ladybug went slack, and she fell. For an infinite second, she was filled with soundless terror. She knew she would be dead when she hit the ground, and she couldn't see it coming.

Arms wrapped around her countless moments into her fall, and she clung to Chat Noir like a kitten saved from drowning in water. Ladybug’s transformation fell completely as she was carried away to safety, and she finally let her built up fear and distress come out in thick, painful sobs, her face hidden against the magic leather of her partner’s suit. 

Marinette didn't know where Chat took them, but it was quiet, and he let her continue to cling to him and cry, so she didn't care. It was a while before she calmed to quiet sniffles, left to wipe her tears off her face with the sleeve of her pajamas. Chat Noir’s transformation had faded away some time before, and Plagg was curled against her ear, purring loud enough for just her to hear.

“He didn't see who you are,” Chat said gently, reassuringly.

Her voice was quiet, throat too tight to speak louder than a whisper, as she replied, “Does it matter? He has Tikki.”

“He can't use her without both the complete Miraculous, Pigtails, she'll be okay,” Plagg piped in, joining his Holder in reassurance, though barely hiding his worry for his other half.

Marinette nodded, though she didn't feel reassured at all with the information. 

More silence followed before anyone spoke again. “Did… Did you see?”

She could feel Chat shake his head. “No, I didn't. Your secret is safe.”

“So much good that does me now…”

He hugged her tighter in retaliation to her somberness. “We’ll get Tikki back, Bug, I promise. Besides, we aren't the only ones who lost something in that fight.” His tone hinted at pride, and she could barely resist looking up at him in confusion. 

“What-?” Chat’s bare fist lifted itself into her view, and her eyes locked in his fingers. They opened, and revealed a beautiful, violet pin with soft, delicate white wings. Her breath caught in her throat at the sight. “Is that…”

“Yeah. We got his miraculous. I grabbed it when I pinned him down, tore it off when I dove after you.” There was a pause, before, “Sorry, Ladybug,” his voice was regretful, “but I didn't have time to see who he was before I could catch you.”

“Don't be, Chaton, you did good, thank you,” she hugged him again, and a fresh wave of tears sprang to her eyes. A comfortable silence fell between them as the early morning woke around them.

Later, as Chat Noir dropped her off beside the school, which she promised she could get home from, he handed her the Butterfly Miraculous with eyes averted to continue to keep her identity secure. “Keep Nooroo safe, and Tikki’s Miraculous, too. We don't know what might happen with the two earrings separated. Rest up. We’ll get her back soon, I swear. Together.” 

And then he was gone. If only they both knew just what was to come.


End file.
